Turkmenistan appointed a suspended doper as a national coach to help them prepare their team for the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Championships, which ended yesterday in Ashgabat, the Turkmen capital.

Extensive evidence, supplied to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) by journalists who campaign against corruption in Turkmenistan, shows that Umurbek Bazarbayev, a four-time Olympian and one of the nation's biggest names in sport, was appointed in the first year of a four-year suspension — in blatant contravention of the rules.

Both Bazarbayev and the Turkmenistan Weightlifting Federation face sanctions.

The evidence includes several references to Bazarbayev, in the state-sponsored media, as assistant national coach.

Enforced disappearances in Turkmenistan is an entrenched problem but it is also urgent, the campaign said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres has a rare opportunity to raise human rights issues directly with Turkmenistan’s autocratic president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Prove They Are Alive! international campaign said today. Gutteres should urge Berdymukhamedov to end enforced disappearances in Turkmenistan’s prison system, the campaign said.

Gutteres and Berdymukhamedov are scheduled to meet on September 29, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

“Enforced disappearances is one of Turkmenistan’s gravest and most persistent abuses, and key UN human… >> подробнее

U.N. decries 'shameful' reprisals on rights activists in 38 countries

19.09.2018

Reuters

The 38 countries included 29 countries with new cases, and 19 with ongoing or continuing cases.

The United Nations listed 38 “shameful” countries including China and Russia which it said had carried out reprisals or intimidation against people cooperating with it on human rights through killings, torture and arbitrary arrests.

The annual report from U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also included allegations of ill treatment, surveillance, criminalization and public stigmatization campaigns targeting victims and human rights defenders.

“The world owes it to those brave people standing up for human rights, who have responded to requests to provide information… >> подробнее